HIGH SPEED EKTACHROME(OPPOSITE) AND KODACHROMES( NATIONALGEOGRAPHICSOCIETY
Plastic Bullet Streaks From a Gun
Like a Fiery Missile Falling to Earth
In their study of ablation, Ames scientists fire tiny
plastic nose cones from powerful gas guns into the
rarefied air of an altitude chamber. Photographer
Conger bolted a camera inside the dark chamber and
left the shutter open, obtaining the view above. Hot
gas surrounds the gun muzzle (upper left). The cone,
speeding 12,000 miles an hour, draws a white-hot
track before shattering at the end of the tunnel.
Four six-inch naval guns are linked in tandem in
a similar device at Ames. Compressed helium in
the barrels propels the "bullet."
Guns also simulate meteor hits on space ships.
These metal tubes represent radiator pipes. One at
right, filled with water, exploded when struck by a
nylon pellet. The other, empty, sustained a neat hole.